Will my motherboard support two graphics cards?

misfitstimm

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Im using an Asus F1a55m LX Plus mother board. not sure if i could install two video cards onto this bored for crossfirex. i do realize the onboard video would be disabled and i am fine with that. would rather have two more powerful gpus. I know the board has 2 PCie 16x slots just have not been able to get a definite answer about using blue and black slots. want to crossfire two 7750s as they are the most powerful low profile cards around
 
An HD7750 CrossFire would be a winner, though your Llano would hold it back.

It would, however, move forward and be the combination of choice for dual-graphics (triple-?) with the Kaveri APU on the FM2 socket. Kaveri will be the Son of Trinity and the integrated SIMD-engine graphics will be a cut-down GCN HD7750.

[:lutfij:4]


 

misfitstimm

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8 gig ram, 450 psu, a8 3870k running at 3.4, 6570 running dual graphics with apu. ive only had the a8 for about 2 months now so would really like to keep it and love my low profile case, so tired of massive pcs. just want to make it the best i can.
 
Your power supply looks great ... but otherwise, you're killing us :lol: The deal:

The A8-3870K should work well with the HD6570, but the HD6570 would likely run much better in dual-graphics with a Trinity APU on FM2. Here's why:

The A8-3870K APU has HD55xx/56xx Redwood cores. A Trinity APU has HD65xx/66xx Turks cores. From a design standpoint, the Redwood and Turks cores are similar BUT there are subtle differences. These differences can effect performance.

And it just kinda makes sense that in dual-graphics, a Trinity APU with a Turks SIMD engine array (that's what AMD calls the graphics engine on the APU) would work best in combination with a discreet HD65xx/66xx video card with Turks cores. It's simply easier to sync-up the core and memory clocks between the APU and the discreet card to run in dual-graphics.

AND ... there's this thing ... sometimes the Llano APUs in dual-graphics had issues with older games in DX9. This may or may not be an issue for you depending upon your gaming, but is certainly something you might encounter.

SO ... :lol: ... (drum-roll, please) with an eye to future upgrades and performance, I think a Trinity APU on FM2 with your HD6570 is preferable to your A8-3870K Llano with a HD7750 CrossFire. Probably even better if you became a Win8 early adopter, too, if you decide to go Trinity/FM2.

This is mobile, but desktop should be similar (Thames is actually the mobile version of Turks):

Trinity_Dual_Graphics_00.jpg



 

misfitstimm

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yea i know all about the whole dx9 thing with llano. and amazingly a lot of games still use dx9. :( so..... here it is..... I should say goodbye to my 3870k and motherboard and go for a new motherboard with an A10 Trinity and use my current 6570?? that would be a much better performance option as compared to keeping the Llano and going dual 7750?
 

misfitstimm

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i do like my a8-3870k and as i said i have had it less than 2 months. also if i haven't said it im gaming at 1360x768. jsut looking for the best performance right now and seems like im hearing pros for both the dual 7750s and going trinity
 
IF you are going to spend money, it is advisable to spend it on a Trinity APU and FM2 motherboard -- at roughly the same expense as 2xHD7750 low-profile cards (roughly $250).

It likely will perform at par with your HD7750 CrossFire on Llano/FM1 when combined in dual-graphics with your current HD6570, provide better overall performance, and offer a better upgrade path with Kaveri in 2013.

Kaveri, interestingly enough, would be the APU of choice to run with an HD7750, being that the SIMD engine on the chip will be graphics-core-next (GCN) Cape Verde cores as found on todays HD7750.

I can get much more technical if you like :)




 

misfitstimm

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will kaveri be using fm2 or will amd come out with another socket? a trinity a10 and motherboard should cost me about the same as 2 7750s. as long as the trinity gives me better or comparable performance i am happy. sucks that i haven't had my llano that long tho
 

paddys09

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If you have money to spend on new mobo/cpu and cards why not get change the low profile case...

I tried setting up a gaming rig in a slim case a while back, didn't work out that good, too much heat not enough power.

There are other options for a small case, like bitfenix prodigy...

I know its probably not the answer you want, but just some advice from someone who has done it... It will cost you twice as much for half the performance, leave that pc the way it is, it will be a powerful htpc and start building a gaming rig with the money you have...
 

misfitstimm

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I really love my small case tho. my last build was with a 6970 and an Antec 100 case. before that i had an Aurora. so i really would love to stay with something smaller. and I just put this together less than 2 months ago. just want to upgrade this. Already have the A8 overclocked. just want to get the most I can outta this and dual 7750s are the most I can do with low profile. dont have the room to mod case to fit a fullsize card.
 

paddys09

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Cool, have a look at the bitfenix prodigy though, it isnt much bigger than a slim case and can take full sized cards and PSU's also look at Silverstone FT03... If I was going for a compact build now, these are the cases I would choose...
 

misfitstimm

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ok thinking the 6850 would be great for my resolution. so should i get 6850 or a 7750 and another in two weeks and crossfire? 6850 i would have to get a riser card and a molex to 6 pin adapter and cut my case a bit. 7750s will end up costing slightly more in the long run (maybe $10)
 


Yes.

A Trinity APU on FM2 with your HD6570 in dual-graphics is the way to go, each of your graphics being "Turks" driven, especially at your resolution and **slim case**

It will only get better. As an example, Trinity/FM2 with Windows8 will enable unified x86 routing through the IOMMU v2 interface, making it possible to access the memory address of the IGP from the x86 address space.

Ultimately, with the HSA unified memory, even your discreet card will directly address x86 memory address space.



 

dscudella

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I have a 6850 and it's pretty much equivalent to a 7770 despite it's 256bit memory . Again, these are entry / mid level cards, you don't want to X Fire these. You're thinking that if you X Fire these, a beam of light will come shining down from the heavens and world peace will ensue, you're better off with a single 7850 or 7870 and changing your case.

Go with what Wisecracker said. He knows a lot more about the APU / GPU Xfire than I do. If you like your case then stick with low profile cards and take his advice.